Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 143, The Timothy Sainsbury Gallery

Vase

1426-1435 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This meiping vase is decorated in a classic Xuande style, with a lotus scroll undulating around the main body. It is flanked above and below by stylised petal shaped lappets.

The underglaze cobalt blue decoration has misfired, probably due to problems with temperature or air control in the kiln during firing. Instead of turning a deep blue the cobalt has turned greyish black. The tiny decorative scroll around the neck, is the only area of decoration that fired to the desired blue colour.

Despite this obvious flaw it was clearly still consdidered to be an object of value.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Porcelain painted in underglaze blue
Brief description
Meiping vase, porcelain painted in underglaze blue with lotus scrolls, China, Yuan dynasty (1279-1368)
Physical description
Vase, of meiping form with high rounded shoulder tapering to the foot, narrow short neck with protruding lip. Porcelain painted in underglaze blue of different tones, from dull blackish to pale blue. On the body, a broad band of lotus scrolls, above and below which is a double border of petal pattern. Round the neck with classic scroll. The base is unglazed.
Dimensions
  • Height: 26.7cm
Styles
Credit line
Purchased with Art Fund support, the Vallentin Bequest, Sir Percival David and the Universities China Committee
Production
Register
Subjects depicted
Summary
This meiping vase is decorated in a classic Xuande style, with a lotus scroll undulating around the main body. It is flanked above and below by stylised petal shaped lappets.

The underglaze cobalt blue decoration has misfired, probably due to problems with temperature or air control in the kiln during firing. Instead of turning a deep blue the cobalt has turned greyish black. The tiny decorative scroll around the neck, is the only area of decoration that fired to the desired blue colour.

Despite this obvious flaw it was clearly still consdidered to be an object of value.
Bibliographic reference
Hobson, R.L.The George Eumorfopoulos collection; catalogue of the Chinese, Corean and Persian pottery and porcelain. London: E. Benn, 1925-28, Vol. IV, D. 13
Collection
Accession number
C.66-1935

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Record createdDecember 31, 2008
Record URL
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